New York Shluchim Convene

By COLlive reporter

100 Chabad Shluchim attended an evening marking 55 years to the establishment of Tzach, or Lubavitch Youth Organization, by the Rebbe to spearhead Jewish outreach.

Held this past Thursday night at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, the event had a Chassidic feel to it, as participants sang and said L’Chaim.

Tzach (LYO) supervises the New York-area Lubavitch emissaries.

“We are fulfilling the Rebbe’s vision to develop more and more Chabad Houses in the areas near Bais Chayeinu – 770,” said the emcee Rabbi Leibel Baumgarten, Director of Chabad Lubavitch of the Hamptons.

Rabbi Moshe Pesach Goldman, secretary and member of the executive board of Tzach agreed.

“In my visits to Chabad Houses in various cities around the U.S. you can physically see the great revolution the Rebbe led,” he said.

“I’m privileged to be a member of on organization whose activities are preparing the world for the ultimate redemption,” he added.

The same sentiment was delivered by Rabbi Dovid Raskin by his mere presence. The elderly Chairman of Tzach made an effort to attend the event and show his support.

“The Rebbe has given special strength to those who are associated with Tzach,” said Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Executive Director of the organization and organizer of the event.

After wishing Rabbi Raskin well, Rabbi Butman said: “Tzach was established on Bais Iyar – which Sefira is Tiferes Shebtiferes and the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash whose motto was ‘L’Chatchila Ariber.’

“That means that each one that has a connection to Tzach has the power to work with these two unique methods of overcoming hardships and doing so with glory.”

60 Chabad Houses are established in this area, stated Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, Program Director of Tzach, in his remarks, suggesting a few areas to improve and grow.

Speaking of challenges, Rabbi Chaim Grossbaum, Director of Chabad House of Stony Brook in Lake Grove, NY, shared how he overcame a recent problem.

Another example was given by Rabbi Menachem Schmidt, a Shliach in Philadelphia who spearheaded the establishment of the Chabad on Campus International Foundation.

He reviewed Chabad’s work in 119 campuses and told how an article in the Jewish Forward was meant to be critical but turned out to be a positive insight into the “major impact.”

The guest speaker of the event, Rabbi Moshe New, came in from Montreal, Canada, where he heads Montreal Torah Center – Bais Menachem Chabad Lubavitch.

“Tzach is special as it was founded by the Rebbe himself, and its Mission Statement was written by him as well,” he said.